{{Short description|American stand-up comedian}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2025}} {{Infobox comedian | name = Kelsey Cook | birth_date = | birth_place = Spokane, Washington, U.S. | medium = {{flatlist| * Stand-up * television * film }} | genre = {{flatlist| * Observational comedy * Self-deprecation * Stand-up }} | alma_mater = Washington State University | years_active = 2009–present | website = {{URL |KelseyCook.com}} }} '''Kelsey Cook''' is an American stand-up comedian. Her second comedy special, ''Mark Your Territory'', was aired on Hulu and YouTube in February 2025.<ref name="Deadline" />
== Career == Cook began performing stand-up comedy while in college.<ref> {{cite magazine |last=Holm |first=Rachel Webber |date=Fall 2018 |title=A formula for funny |url= https://magazine.wsu.edu/2018/08/06/a-formula-for-funny/ |magazine=Washington State Magazine |volume=17 |number=4 |page=39 |location=Pullman, Washington |publisher=Washington State University |access-date=August 16, 2025}}</ref> After graduating, she moved to Seattle and then to Los Angeles to pursue comedy full-time. In 2022, she taped her first special, ''The Hustler'', which debuted on her YouTube channel and was later picked up by Hulu.<ref>{{cite web |last=Solomon |first=Matt |date=May 8, 2024 |title=The Comedy World of Kelsey Cook, According to Kelsey Cook |url=https://www.cracked.com/article_43144_the-comedy-world-of-kelsey-cook-according-to-kelsey-cook.html |website=Cracked |publisher=Literally Media |access-date=August 16, 2025}}</ref>
Her second special, ''Mark Your Territory'', was released in February 2025. It was taped live at Comedy on State in Madison, Wisconsin and is available on YouTube and Hulu.<ref name="Deadline">{{cite news |first=Matt |last=Grobar |title=Comedian Kelsey Cook Unveils 'Mark Your Territory,' Second Special For Hulu To Premiere In February |date=January 27, 2025 |url=https://deadline.com/2025/01/kelsey-cook-mark-your-territory-hulu-premiere-date-1236259877/ |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=August 9, 2025}}</ref> The special covers themes of personal growth, heartbreak, and starting over after a divorce.<ref>{{cite web |last= Greenough |first=Jason |date=February 21, 2025 |title=Kelsey Cook Just Wants To Keep Building and Grinding in Her New Era |url=https://vanyaland.com/2025/02/21/kelsey-cook-just-wants-to-keep-building-and-grinding-in-her-new-era/ |website=Vanyaland |location=Boston, MA |access-date=August 16, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Kelsey Cook talks 'Mark Your Territory' |url=https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/GMA3/video/kelsey-cook-talks-mark-territory-119636982 |website=ABC News Good Morning America |date=March 10, 2025 |access-date=August 9, 2025}}</ref>
Cook made her late-night debut in March 2018 on ''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon'', where she has since appeared multiple times as a featured stand-up comic.<ref>{{cite web |author=<!-- not stated --> |date=March 9, 2018 |title=Kelsey Cook |quote=Kelsey Cook is a comedian who made her late night debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon{{nbsp}}... |url=https://www.nbc.com/the-tonight-show/guests/kelsey-cook/ec91e4d07e4e5219774a41a4b2dad9fe176d40f3 |website=The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon |access-date=July 21, 2025}}</ref> She also appeared on Comedy Central's storytelling series ''This Is Not Happening'', in an online-only bonus segment for Season Four's episode 10 ("Shame").<ref name="Punchup">{{cite web |author=<!-- not stated --> |title=Kelsey Cook {{!}} Bio |url=https://punchup.live/kelseycook |website=Punchup.live |access-date=July 21, 2025}}</ref> Cook has performed at the Moontower Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Austin—appearing at venues including The Hideout Theatre in April 2022<ref>{{cite news |author=<!-- not stated --> |collaboration=CBS News Austin Bureau |title=Moontower Comedy Presents Kelsey Cook |url=https://cbsaustin.com/news/entertainment/moontower-comedy-presents-kelsey-cook |website=CBS Austin |date=April 27, 2022 |publisher=KEYE-TV |access-date=July 21, 2025}}</ref>—and appeared at the 2019 Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal.<ref>{{cite web |title=Kelsey Cook performer page |url=https://www.hahaha.com/en/artists/kelsey-cook |website=Just for Laughs |access-date=July 21, 2025}}{{dead link|date=August 2025}}</ref>
== Personal life == Cook grew up in Spokane, Washington.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-03-07 |title=Spokane-area comedian Kelsey Cook to make late night TV debut on 'The Tonight Show' |url=https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2018/mar/07/spokane-area-comedian-kelsey-cook-to-make-late-nig/ |access-date=2025-05-05 |website=Spokesman.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-04-08 |title=Love of performance runs in Spokane comic Kelsey Cook's family |url=https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/apr/08/love-of-performance-runs-in-spokane-comic-kelsey-c/ |access-date=2025-05-05 |website=Spokesman.com |language=en}}</ref> Cook's mother, foosball champion Kathy Brainard, met her father, poet, trumpeter, and amateur foosball player Chris Cook, at a professional foosball competition. Cook graduated from Cheney High School.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Press |first=Cheney Free |title=Kelsey Cook reverses directions for comedy success |url=https://www.cheneyfreepress.com/story/2013/06/13/news/kelsey-cook-reverses-directions-for-comedy-success/12114.html |access-date=2025-05-05 |website=Cheney Free Press |language=en}}</ref>
Cook became engaged to comedian Kane Holloway in 2018; they married on July 11, 2019, and divorced in 2020 amid the COVID‑19 pandemic.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Harry |first= |title=Who Is Kelsey Cook’s Husband? Who Is Her Husband and How They Tied the Knot? |url=https://tilt.goombastomp.com/celebrity/who-is-kelsey-cook-husband/ |access-date=2025-07-21 |website=Tilt Magazine |language=en}}</ref>
Cook has been in a relationship with comedian Chad Daniels since at least March 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wanjala |first=Lilian |title=Who Is Kelsey Cook's Boyfriend? Chad Daniels' Job & Relationship Timeline |url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/articles/kelsey-cook-boyfriend-chad-daniels-095026261.html |access-date=2025-07-21 |website=Yahoo Entertainment |language=en}}</ref> They have been engaged as of February 2026.<ref>https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DN5YLhUGS/</ref>
== Filmography == === Stand-up specials === {| class="wikitable" !Year !Title !Notes |- | 2023 | ''The Hustler'' | rowspan=2 | 800 Pound Gorilla Media specials<ref name="800LB">{{cite web |url= https://800poundgorillamedia.com/blogs/the-laugh-button/exclusive-kelsey-cook-talks-mark-your-territory-drunk-hecklers-and-finding-laughter-in-difficult-times |first=Lilly |last=Owens |date=July 9, 2025 |title=EXCLUSIVE: Kelsey Cook Talks 'Mark Your Territory', Drunk Hecklers and Finding Laughter in Difficult Times |website=800 Pound Gorilla - News |access-date=August 9, 2025}}</ref> |- | 2025 | ''Mark Your Territory'' |}
=== Web series === {| class="wikitable" !Year !Title !Notes |- | 2018-2020 | ''Wrists of Fury'' | Creator, executive producer |}
== References == {{reflist|1}}
==External links== * {{Official website|https://www.kelseycook.com/}} * [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5138243/?ref_=fn_nme_nme_1 Kelsey Cook] at IMDb
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cook, Kelsey}} Category:Living people Category:American stand-up comedians Category:American women comedians Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:YouTubers from Washington (state) Category:21st-century American comedians Category:Comedians from Washington (state) Category:Washington State University alumni Category:YouTubers from Seattle Category:Mass media people from Spokane, Washington